The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-16
FINN'S WHITE CAT.
And HOW Mick " Got Her Back Again.


ing.
sShure sold her fur dollar oil right in
me hand"
Mickey started up with an exclamation Of
grief and surprise.
''Oh, We needn't DO Vaughn your jaws at
tn mother that raised ye up and fed We
since We were no bigger'n til little cat itself.
| know phwat's best fur We, ME BY, am
cats is no good, on'y fur t be me-owin
around on the fncc when dacent folks is in
bed these cowld nights. Now, Mickey. avic.
be good t yerser, and don't be w'inin' about
"A m'asely cat as has heas an. is only good
fur lappin' milk an scratchin' at tn back
dure. Hasen't We TIL crow an tn billy goat
T. play wild! Ye wouldn't be havin' as foine
fun wild scrawny cat as We wud wild fine
billy goat wild his wicked horns an tn dlvil's
ewes in his head, bad luck to him. The first
chance I'll be havin' Ill sell him, too, so
will, glory be Z God. I'd hav him sold this
twel' month only livery wun is afeard iv his
dirty thr cks, SO they are. Av | had that
goat on tn lime kill I'd shove him off, so
would, an him fallin on tn rocks below an
smashing him into little bits no bigger'n
buckwate."
This TRADE against his pets had no effect
upon Mickey He had heard it so often that
it passed through his mind like water
through sieve. How to recover the cat
was what troubled him. She had been in
his possession only about one month. but
during that time he had learned to regard
her with a great deal of affection. he
genealogy of the cat was unknown to little
Mike. He didn't know whether the cat had
Tapped warm milk before cozey kitchen
fire or had been forced out into the cold
world in her extreme youth and made to
scratch for her livi g in refuse heaps. All
he knew of her early history was that on
returning home one evening he saw Doolan's
yellow dog chase ] II up a tree. He had
; med the dog away and coaxed the
cat to come down. Ssfely sheltered
in his bosom, he had taken her home and
washed her muddy fur with water from the
hand basin and wiped her dry with his
handkerchief. When he had thoroughly
cleaned her fur he found that she was pure
white in color, without spot or blenIish, and
that she had beautiful pink eyes. He re-
membered now that she was lost to him,
perhaps forever; that for two months the
cat had been his bedfellow. Even now, in
fancy, he could hear her soft purr as she
snuggled down against his breast, with her
long whiskers tickling his cheek. He noted
in his minds eye how nicely the blue ribbon
around her neck contrasted with the color
of her shining coat, and he was very sorrow
full and cried inwardly, and would have
burst into tears if the door had been be-
tween him and his mother. However, the
exigencies of the case called for action, and
he mustered up courage enough to say
tremblingly:
Mother, what was the woman's name as
bought herln
bad scran t ye. by; shure l wouldn't
hav' tn impotence t ak her name, an she
glvin' me dollar fur a weeny cat, when
thare's more cats as nd fill a cellar over on
Hanratty street beyant, an divil ha'porth
yed pay fur forty iv them, ribbon an all. |
only know tn Teddy lives on tn hill forninst
TIL Catholic church, an her man is a law
yer, wild bags full iv goold and silver, t. say
nothin' iv tn granebacks he does be havin',
more power till him. PLY, Mickey, fur
phwat d. We want t. know her name at alll"
said Mrs. Finn.
Il do be wantin' t. buy her back ag'in.n
Buy her back agini an me wild tn
blessed dollar in me pocket wild Garfield's
pictur' in wan corner an another mans
writin' in another corner, as makes the bill
a good wan till the jidgmint day. G. out,
We idjit! LUX at thin shoes ON your fate,
wild the toes iv ye peepin' out an sayin'
good mornin' t. We every time yere putin
thin on! By tn ould gray goat yen not
fond out where she's hvin, so ye won't, me
daddy buck"
Then Mrs. Firms heart smote her. She
saw the grief upon her boys face. She saw
his eyelids heavy with unshed tears, and
she tried to comfort him.
''Now, Micker, me by, niver moind the
cat, an Ill make little cake for We wild a
Yankee flag stuck in tn middle, so | will,
an We can ate it all yerser, widout anyone
akin we fur mouthful. Now We go t bed,
like a good by, an in tn mornin' yell for
git all about tn cat"
Little Mike went into the bedroom and re-
moved his eloquent shoes. He sat on the
edge of his trundle bed, and the moon came
up over Stumpy Field and looked in the
window. These were the hours which had
been cheered by the presence of the cat
These were the times when the cat had rub
bed herself b'ck and forth against his
ankles, and had looked up in his face invit-
ing caresS The remembrance of these
past scenes came to him with bitterness
now at the thought of his loss and he re-
solved to start out in search of her. Softly
opening the door into the kitchen, he saw
that his mother had gone out to chat with
a neighbor. He secured his little iron saw
ings bank froln the mantle, closed the
door softly behind him, and stepped
out into the Old Point road. The I'M
dertaking of the boy was Quixotic
His knowledge of the locality were the
lady lived Who had bought the cat was
meagre, but he kept stoutly on up the road,
buttoning his coat tightly up about his
reached the vicinity of the church he
stopped and hesitated. There was a long
row of what to his eyes were mansions,
With lace curtains behind the windows,
across the street; but In which one of these
the lady lived Was what troubled him. But
me easiest way out of his dilemma, Mickey
thought, was TO take each house in turn,
and inquire if any of the inmates had
bought a new cat that day Mickey went
ND the steps of the first house with fear and
trembling. He pulled on the bell handle
and heard the bell jingle family down the
long hall Then a heavy step came to the
door, and big man with gray hair con
fronted him.
''Well, boy, what dye wants"
"M-m-m lister, did Teddy buy a cat to-
dayg' said Mickey, wishing that he was
safely down in the street.
Eyes, presume great many ladies have
been foolish enough to buy cats to-day.
But you get out of here, or I'll set the dog
on you"
The door slammed in the boys face, and
he was half tempted to give up the search.
His courage return d, however, and at the
next house the servant came to the door
who tod him that she thought tue folks
next door had bought new cat.
"Was it w-w-w-hitep said little Mike,
taking his savings bank out Of his pocket.
''Yis, l think twas white wan, wild a
blue ribbon on its neck. replied the servant
A minute later the bell in the next house